Pedro Torres

Pedro Torres

World Champion in

Working Equitation

Working Equitation, Dressage, Portuguese Equitation

“To learn something from everyone – that is my philosophy!”

Anyone involved with Working Equitation will most likely hear the name Pedro Torres mentioned in the first five minutes. The multiple European and World Champion is a rider, trainer, instructor and coach of the Portuguese National Team. With his famous stallion “Oxidado” he played a big role in the sport and won the most titles in Working Equitation worldwide.

Pedro Torres was born in Lisbon and developed his passion for horses and riding as a child. Having ridden for fun as a child he started giving lessons at the local riding school as a teenager- an absolute success, for this led him to move to Quinta da Marinha and training sport horses. João Pedro Rodrigues, Riding Master of the Portuguese School of Equestrian Arts, was responsible for influencing many riders with his riding ability and knowledge. Pedro Torres worked and studied for around fifteen years with him and owes his legendary stallion Oxidado to him.

As well as Working Equitation Pedro Torres has also represented his country internationally in Grand Prix dressage. He is a talented allrounder and impresses everyone the way he approaches and combines such different disciplines. The bond with the horse is the most important thing for him.

“One needs a partnership with the horse. If you achieve that then you have a horse with lots of presence. I want my horses to let their personality shine through”

Pedro Torres is renowned for his skill not only as a rider but also as a trainer, for empathizing with every student and finding an individual solution for them and their horse.

Anyone involved with Working Equitation will most likely hear the name Pedro Torres mentioned in the first five minutes. The multiple European and World Champion is a rider, trainer, instructor and coach of the Portuguese National Team. With his famous stallion “Oxidado” he played a big role in the sport and won the most titles in Working Equitation worldwide.

Pedro Torres was born in Lisbon and developed his passion for horses and riding as a child. Having ridden for fun as a child he started giving lessons at the local riding school as a teenager- an absolute success, for this led him to move to Quinta da Marinha and training sport horses. João Pedro Rodrigues, Riding Master of the Portuguese School of Equestrian Arts, was responsible for influencing many riders with his riding ability and knowledge. Pedro Torres worked and studied for around fifteen years with him and owes his legendary stallion Oxidado to him.

As well as Working Equitation Pedro Torres has also represented his country internationally in Grand Prix dressage. He is a talented allrounder and impresses everyone the way he approaches and combines such different disciplines. The bond with the horse is the most important thing for him.

“One needs a partnership with the horse. If you achieve that then you have a horse with lots of presence. I want my horses to let their personality shine through”

Pedro Torres is renowned for his skill not only as a rider but also as a trainer, for empathizing with every student and finding an individual solution for them and their horse.

Related videos

The successful halt part 2: riding transitions

Correct riding, as well as riding transitions, entails riding from “the back end to the front” (as one says). Reinhart Koblitz shows in this video exactly what that means and most importantly, how this applies to half- and entire halts.

The School of Légèreté Part 5: Canter transitions, flying changes, pirouettes

Philippe Karl gives us not only a theoretical understanding but also explains how to put this into practice, today teaching a horse the canter transitions. He uses various arena figures and lateral work to help the horse. It is interesting to watch how the French Master teaches the flying changes, from working canter to counter canter on a circle. A high degree of collection is necessary before commencing the canter pirouettes.

Duration: 21:19 Minutes

Overcoming spookiness in the dressage arena

Spookiness is part of the natural behavior of horses. For success at competitions as well as for harmonic riding at home, the horse needs to learn to trust his rider and stay relaxed even in unusual or worrying situations. Uta Gräf shows how she prepares her horses at home in their everyday training for such circumstances.

Duration: 13:08 Minutes

Videos from Pedro Torres

Working Equitation with Pedro Torres Part 5: Cow work & speed trial

Pedro Torres demonstrates once more why classical dressage forms the basis of Working Equitation. The cow work and Speed Trial require a lightning-fast reaction from the horse but also precision and suppleness. The multiple World Champion shows us how it is done.

In Working Equitation, rideability and agility are key factors in the Ease of Handling Trial, as is elegance and smoothness. World Champion, Pedro Torres, explains to us how this can be achieved as we watch a training session with his student, Vasco Godinho. A special highlight awaits you at the end- Working Equitation at the highest level!

Duration: 18:32 Minutes

Working Equitation with Pedro Torres part 3: Slalom canter work

The slalom is a big challenge in Working Equitation. The horse must be supple and agile and able to carry weight easily on the hindquarters. Pedro Torres shows us various exercises that will best prepare the horse for this work.

Duration: 09:41 Minutes

Working Equitation with Pedro Torres part 2: The Ease of Handling Trial step by step

The training of the Working Equitation obstacles requires, above all, trust between the horse and the rider. World and European Champion Pedro Torres demonstrates how you can introduce an unexperienced horse quietly and without a doubt to these new challenges.

Duration: 23:10 Minutes

Working Equitation with Pedro Torres part 1: Training philosophy and basics of dressage riding

Derived from the centuries-old culture of the working horse in southern Europe, Working Equitation combines the disciplines dressage, ease of handling trial, speed trial and for teams, cow work. This video shows World and European Champion, Pedro Torres, as he goes through the dressage work that is a necessary foundation for all aspects of Working Equitation.

Duration: 28:13 Minutes

Related videos

The successful halt part 2: riding transitions

Correct riding, as well as riding transitions, entails riding from “the back end to the front” (as one says). Reinhart Koblitz shows in this video exactly what that means and most importantly, how this applies to half- and entire halts.

The School of Légèreté Part 5: Canter transitions, flying changes, pirouettes

Philippe Karl gives us not only a theoretical understanding but also explains how to put this into practice, today teaching a horse the canter transitions. He uses various arena figures and lateral work to help the horse. It is interesting to watch how the French Master teaches the flying changes, from working canter to counter canter on a circle. A high degree of collection is necessary before commencing the canter pirouettes.

Duration: 21:19 Minutes

Overcoming spookiness in the dressage arena

Spookiness is part of the natural behavior of horses. For success at competitions as well as for harmonic riding at home, the horse needs to learn to trust his rider and stay relaxed even in unusual or worrying situations. Uta Gräf shows how she prepares her horses at home in their everyday training for such circumstances.